My Desert Rose
by Eseculo
Summary: Well Here's the updated version of My Desert Rose Chp. 1. Note: I do not own any characters form any manga listed in here I oly own Anemone Janvier, Melanie, Rin, Not the Rin from Fruits Basket! And Emily. Thank you to Melanie who edited this. R&R!


I was kneeling down on a flat cushion. From the feel of it, it was of some foreign sort of silk material. That wasn't my focus though.

The woman in front of me was wearing an oriental kimono. The dark shades of it blended with her black hair perfectly. The strange rabbit she holding was odd though. It was a light blue with stubby paws and feet. If that wasn't strange enough it had a pale pink jewel on its forehead.

The woman handed the rabbit over to me with a knowing grin. "Be careful, Anemone, you will never know what you will find on the outside."

I woke up before I could ask anything.

_Another weird dream_, I thought. This wasn't the first dream with the mysterious woman in it. For the whole week she'd been there. _I'll ask Calista_.

---

In homeroom I told my best friend about the dream. Or dream_s_, if ya, wanna be specific. She listened to my explanation without interrupting, even if it was crazy.

I knew she thought that when she teased, "It was just a dream silly. If you described it right, it sounds like something right out of XXXholic!"

I felt a little upset about it just being a dream to her but… "Of course!" The bell rang then and Calista and I went through a regular school day.

---

Even with Calista's reassuring, I still wasn't sure it was all a dream. It had felt so…real. So I decided to call another friend after I got home.

She picked up on the third ring. "Hey Melanie," I greeted.

"'Ello. What's up?" I inwardly sighed in relief. _Good old Mel._

So I told her my dream. She asked for more details at times but besides that listened. At the end of my description, she commented. "Maybe it was just a dream. You know how odd mine are."

"Yeah," I said half-heartedly, "maybe it was."

With our goodbyes we soon hung up. I called my other friends to see their view on it but hey told me the same thing each time, with their own style to each. _It was just a weird dream. Just an odd dream, right?_

I flung myself onto my bed with a loud sigh. _It's hopeless_, I thought.

"Honi! Lights out in twenty minutes!" my mom yelled at me from downstairs. I groaned before getting ready for bed.

---

I was walking in a really strange house. It looked like something you would see in China or something. _Or Japan,_ I thought. As I turned a corner, there was the same woman from the other dreams.

She was still in the same dress. Nothing had changed about her. "Welcome to my home. You may call me Yûko-san if you wish." Before I could comment she gestured you to sit on the cushion from before. With an appreciated nod I accepted the invitation.

"Uh, Yûko-san, would it sound strange if I told you this was a dream?" I questioned. "I've had this dream for the past week and to be honest, I'm sick and tired of it."

She gave me grin. "You keep coming here because you have a wish," she replied with ease.

"But I don't have a wish."

"Then why do keep dreaming of this place?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Just a coincidence, I guess."

Yûko shook her head. "You don't understand. Nothing ever happens by coincidence. Everything is already predetermined; hitzuzen. And my shop is one that grants wishes. So you must have a wish."

"Well," I started, "there is one thing. I've been wondering about. And that is… who I am supposed to be with? Even if he's not in my country or maybe not even in this world, I'd go find him if I could."

She grins. "If that's your dearest wish," she replied, "then that's what you'll get."

---

When I woke up the next morning, I was very unhappy. "I hope that's the last time _she_ shows up."

I rolled over and looked out the window. "But I do wish I could find my somebody."

---

My situation didn't get any better at school. The whole morning I was very jumpy. Everyone was avoiding me, probably thinking something was wrong with me if that was even possible since they already thought that I was weird for reading manga. But not Calista. I told her and she kept trying to tell me it was a dream. That was most likely why I made it through the day.

I went through my strange ritual of getting all my friends opinions again. I got the same answers.

I went to sleep not soon after I went through my daily life. My mom was obviously worried but I told her that I didn't sleep well last night. The morning after I couldn't remember anything from my sleep.

---

"So, any weird dreams to report today?" Calista asked.

"Nope. If I did I don't remember any of it," I replied.

Calista shrugged. "Hey, something important may happen today." I stared at her. "Just kidding!" she said. Before I could respond the intercom came on and said, "Anemone Janvier, please come to the principle's office."

As I walked out the door all the class started the chorus of "Ohhhhhh! She's in trouble!" "Morons!" I turned back to say, "I didn't do anything!"

When I did make it to the office I hesitated for a second before I went in. I don't know why but I waited for a minute and then walked in. Then a blue light engulfed me.

I blinked a couple of times and I was in the strange house again. Then I was walking to where I'd been before. It looked like something you would see in China or something. _Or Japan,_ I thought. I shook my head. _Déjà vu_. As I turned a corner, there was the same woman from the other dreams.

She was still in the same dress. Nothing had changed about her. "Welcome to my home. You may call me Yûko-san if you wish." Before I could comment she gestured me to sit on the cushion from before. With an appreciated nod I accepted the invitation.

"Uh, Yûko-san, would it sound strange if I told you I've dreamt of this for more than a week now and I'm sure that I am sleeping in class?" I questioned.

She gave me grin. "You keep coming here because you have a wish," she replied with ease.

"But I don't have a wish."

"Then why do keep coming to this place?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Just a coincidence, I guess."

Yûko shook her head. "You don't understand. Nothing ever happens by coincidence. Everything is already predetermined; hitzuzen. And my shop is one that grants wishes. So you must have a wish."

"Well," I started, "there is one thing. I've been wondering about. And that is… who I am supposed to be with? Even if he's not in my country or maybe not even in this world, I'd go find him if I could."

Yûko grins. "If that's your dearest wish," she replied, "then that's what you'll get. But for a proper send off, you must give me proper payment."

Before I could say I didn't have money on me, she continued. "At each world you must get me whatever I desire!" she said with a grin. 'Great I am getting her souvenirs' I thought sarcastically.

"Why can't I just go the world he's on?" I asked.

She gave me an evil smile. "Unless you want me to take a large portion of your soul, I suggest that you take the indirect path."

I heard some muttering behind a screen door with a butterfly print on but, I distinctly heard something along the lines of "In her clutches"

Yuko-san quickly turned and sharply said "Hey! I can her you! And what clutches would you be talking about?" I noticed a hint of anger in her voice.

I did somewhat of what you would describe a sweat drop and thought, _she's exactly like Rin._

"I'll take the first option," I said quickly.

Yûko laughed. "I thought so." She walked over to a pillow covered bed and sat next to an antique looking bowl. "As a bonus I'll tell you a little about your soul mate if you give me what's in that bag of yours."

I automatically touch the bag. _Creepy stalker woman,_ I decided. I pulled out the only thing that was remotely interesting in my bag, which was a butterfly pattern I had been sewing. I was going to give it to Calista for a white day present but I guess this was for a better cause.

"You mean this, right?" I asked. When she nodded I place it in front of me for her to get later.

She looked into her big bowl (cauldron) and after a minute or two of dead silence she spoke. "The one that you seek has a very troubled past."

With that she stood and called, "Watanuki, grab Makono. The light blue one." A minute later a teenager I little older than me was holding the stuffed animal thing from my other dreams. He handed it to Yûko who walked over to me and gave it to me. She picked up my pattern as well I noticed.

"That is Makono Madora. And she will be the one leading you into different worlds." Yûko paused thoughtfully. "Oh right. After every thirty days you go to the paths that connect the worlds to determine where you will journey to next. When you reach the world your soumate is on you won't be able to go onto another world. But, you won't know when that is until the thirty days are over.

"Be careful Anemone, you never know what's on the outside." Yûko indicated to Makono. "She'll take you on your journey when you're ready."

"Thank you Yûko-san," I said. I felt happy beyond anything. I mean, how many people give you that kind of thing on a lifetime basis?

I walked back to the house entrance and the flash came like it did before.

--

I opened my eyes and I was back at school. More precisely, the nurse's office. My heart dropped. It was another dream?

Calista looked down at me from her chair next to the couch I was on. "Are you okay? You just passed out in the principle's office. But you had that weird doll with you." When she meant weird doll, she meant Makono. She winked at me when she saw me looking.

My heart lifted back up again. _Maybe I can make this work_.

--

That night I talked to all of my friends for the last time. Or at least for a while. I don't know.

When I hung up the phone finally, Makono bounced over to me. "Are you ready to go yet?" she whined. "I want to go exploring!"

"Almost," I said, "I just need to finish packing."

I started throwing clothes, bathroom stuff, and traveling stuff into my bag. When I got everything in and I could zip it up, I turned to Makono and said, "Let's head out!"

She jumped up and started fading. I looked down and saw that I was doing the same thing. "Bye everyone," I whispered to myself. "I hope to see you again."

Then we were gone.


End file.
